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When people working at the building reported for work on Friday they discovered that water supplies had been cut and by 10 am, cleaners in the building had closed most toilets placing “Out of Order” notices.

Besides the magistrates’ court other Government ministries also operate from the building and yesterday some people could be seen with water containers they had brought from their homes.

A man who answered the telephone at the Department of Construction in the city yesterday afternoon confirmed that water supplies had been cut.
“The city council has cut water supplies to the building for non-payment but when we checked with the Ministry of National Housing, they informed us that they had paid,” said the man.

The Department of Construction is the custodian of Government buildings.
The acting local authority’s public relations officer, Miss Bongiwe Ngwenya could not say off hand how much the council was owed.

According to the latest council report, the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs owed the local authority US$96 993, 36 by 31 August last year.
Some workers at the building said they were being forced to go to nearby buildings when nature calls as all the toilets were closed for fear of a disease outbreak.

Members of the public who operate from around the building, complainants in criminal cases, litigants in civil cases and suspects brought to court have to bear with the stench coming from the public toilet opposite Court Two on the 1st Floor.-Chronicle